Swaziland Newsletter No. 925 – 1 May 2026

 

Swaziland Newsletter No. 925 – 1 May 2026

News from and about Swaziland, compiled by Global Aktion, Denmark (www.globalaktion.dk) in collaboration with Swazi Media Commentary (www.swazimedia.blogspot.com), and sent to all with an interest in Swaziland - free of charge. The newsletter and past editions are also available online on the Swazi Media Commentary blogsite.

 

eSwatini celebrates King Mswati III’s 40 years as critics decry royal spending

By Tim Cocks and Lunga Masuku, Reuters, 24 April 2026

SOURCE 

EZULWINI: Marching bands blew horns, women ululated and men cheered on Friday to celebrate King Mswati III’s 40 years on Eswatini’s throne, an institution still revered despite criticism of the high luxury sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch enjoys.

A choir decked in yellow, blue and red to form an image of the national flag sang the king’s praises and held up a sign wishing him a happy 58th birthday in the national stadium.

“We have been through thick and thin as a nation,” Mswati told the crowd. “It is important we remain united.”

Speech-makers praised the king’s efforts to develop the mountainous, southern African nation of 1.5 million, which well-wisher Shabusiswa Sibambo, 19, said included free school since 2022 and mobile clinics in operation since the following year.

“We are proud of our culture,” she told Reuters, as the king passed in an open-top car in a British military-style scarlet tunic.

Her aunt, Busiwe Maziya, 70, a subsistence maize farmer, remembered Mswati’s ascent to the throne in 1986. Her life had improved much since then, she said, thanks to government assistance with agricultural inputs like tools and fertiliser.

“Even the rainfall has been better,” Maziya said.

But critics say Mswati’s and his dozen wives’ lavish lifestyle comes at the expense of a population a third of whom live below the $2.15-a-day World Bank poverty line. His upkeep costs tens of millions of dollars and this month the government awarded an extra $3 million for it.

Anger at this disparity boiled over into protests in 2021, which were violently suppressed, while the kingdom also attracted unwanted publicity for jailing deportees from the United States, as part of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration.

“Yet another public waste of scarce resources,” Wandile Dludlu, leader of the country’s biggest opposition party, told Reuters, listing what he said were unaddressed problems including poverty, inequality and high HIV prevalence rates.

“What a lost opportunity.”

See also

Some AU countries snub Mswati’s 40th throne celebration (Legal Brief, South Africa)

https://legalbrief.co.za/story/some-au-countries-snub-mswatis-40th-throne-celebration/

 

King Mswati III turns 40 years on the throne this week and the sovereign wealth fund meant to benefit the Swazi people runs as his personal family office (Billionaires Africa)

https://www.billionaires.africa/2026/04/25/king-mswati-iii-turns-40-years-on-the-throne-this-week-and-the-sovereign-wealth-fund-meant-to-benefit-the-swazi-people-runs-as-his-personal-family-office/

 

TUCOSWA to descend on Hlatikhulu

By Timothy Simelane, Times of eSwatini, 30 April 2026

SOURCE 

MANZINI: The Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) is expected to put its differences with affiliates aside and converge at Hlatikhulu for the 2026 May Day celebration on 1 May 2026.

TUCOSWA recently failed to host its quadrennial congress as some affiliates challenged the subscription of some members.

However, despite this, in a statement TUCOSWA Secretary General Mduduzi Gina officially announced the Shiselweni Region as the host for the 2026 Workers’ Day Commemoration, with the main festivities set for Hlatikhulu.

Gina confirmed that the annual gathering will be held at the Hlatikhulu Central High School Sports Ground. The choice of venue brings the national spotlight to the southern region, as the labour movement prepares to reflect on the current socio-economic landscape and the rights of the emaSwati workforce.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=TUCOSWA+to+descend+on+Hlatikhulu&yiphi=3718&bvhdgsj=News

 

Journalists struggle to survive on E3,500 as Press Club sounds alarm

By Sifiso Nhlabatsi, Independent News, eSwatini, 30 April 2026

SOURCE 

MBABANE: Journalists in Eswatini are battling harsh economic conditions that threaten both their livelihoods and the quality of news reporting, Press Club President Timothy Simelani has revealed.

Speaking during World Press Freedom Day commemorations held at Happy Valley on Wednesday, Simelane painted a bleak picture of life inside the country’s newsrooms, where low pay, unstable contracts and limited resources have become the norm.

Simelani said the average journalist in Eswatini earns about E3,500 [US$210] per month, placing them among the lowest-paid professionals in the country. He noted that many media practitioners work without permanent or long-term contracts, while others are paid per story, making financial stability difficult to achieve.

“In Eswatini, being a journalist often means working with limited resources and without robust infrastructure,” he said. “If we were driven by money, we would not survive in this profession.”

He explained that the financial constraints faced by media houses directly affect the type and depth of stories journalists can pursue. According to Simelani, investigative reporting—especially on sensitive issues such as human trafficking or tax evasion—requires significant funding, sometimes exceeding E10,000 per story.

However, he said most newsrooms are unwilling or unable to allocate such resources, limiting journalists’ ability to uncover critical information and hold powerful individuals accountable.

 

                                World Press Freedom Day commemorations held at Happy Valley

To read more of this report, click here

https://independentnews.co.sz/42973/local/journalists-struggle-to-survive-on-e3500-as-press-club-sounds-alarm/

 

See also

EU committed to protecting media freedom, EU Ambassador tells eSwatini journalists (European Union)

https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/eswatini/eu-committed-protecting-media-freedom-eu-ambassador-tells-eswatini-journalists_en

ICT minister warns against ‘brown envelope’ journalism, calls for responsibility in media (Independent News, eSwatini)

https://independentnews.co.sz/42969/local/ict-minister-warns-against-brown-envelope-journalism-calls-for-responsibility-in-media/

 

Back to class for UNESWA students

By Bongiwe Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 28 April 2026

SOURCE 

Lessons at the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) Kwaluseni Campus resume tomorrow.

This follows the institution’s decision to reopen the campus after a brief closure triggered by student unrest.

The resumption of lessons was communicated by the Registrar Bonginkosi Mkhonza in a notice issued yesterday.

He said the university’s Senate had resolved to reopen the campus today (Tuesday, April 28), and that students have been instructed to return to campus, with normal academic activities resuming tomorrow morning.

The university further indicated that the academic almanac would remain unchanged despite the disruption.

The campus was abruptly closed last Thursday after unsanctioned student protests erupted over the demand for a mid-semester study break.

According to information that had been issued earlier, the decision to shut down operations was taken by the management in the interest of student safety and to safeguard university property.

Students were ordered to vacate the premises by 10am last Friday.

The protests stemmed from growing frustration among students who argued that they required time off to regroup academically and address mental health concerns.

However, the university maintained that a scheduled study break had already been utilised earlier in the semester during intervarsity games held in Lesotho from March 9 to 13.

Students had initially agreed to forgo the traditional study break in order to participate in the games.

However, some later expressed concern that the academic workload had become overwhelming, prompting renewed calls for time off.

See also

Kwaluseni Campus closed indefinitely (eSwatini Observer)

https://eswatiniobserver.com/uneswa-kwaluseni-campus-closed-indefinitely/

 

Education International condemns the arrest and harassment of education union leaders

Education International, 24 April 2026

SOURCE 

Education International (EI) expresses its unwavering solidarity with the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), its leadership and members, following the most recent attack against union leaders by the authorities in Eswatini. On 23 April, Eswatini police arrested Lot Vilakati, the General Secretary of SNAT, and other public union leaders as they were peacefully delivering a petition to the Prime Minister’s office.

The union officials’ demands are related to the government’s failure to honour its commitment to increase the salaries of teachers and public service workers. According to SNAT, Vilakati was severely beaten by the police and later dumped in a forest.

This anti-union attack represents a grave escalation of repression and an unacceptable assault on education union members. 

Education International urges the authorities of Eswatini to immediately halt the persecution of SNAT leaders, guarantee their safety, and respect their fundamental human and trade union rights. 

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.ei-ie.org/en/item/32383:eswatini-education-international-condemns-the-arrest-and-harassment-of-education-union-leaders

  

SWAZI MEDIA COMMENTARY

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 911 – 23 January 2026

 

Swaziland Newsletter No. 911 – 23 January 2026

News from and about Swaziland, compiled by Global Aktion, Denmark (www.globalaktion.dk) in collaboration with Swazi Media Commentary (www.swazimedia.blogspot.com), and sent to all with an interest in Swaziland - free of charge. The newsletter and past editions are also available online on the Swazi Media Commentary blogsite.

 

80% women neglect children for jobs

By Nokuphila Haji, eSwatini Observer, 16 January 2026

SOURCE 

The deputy prime minister’s office has revealed that 80% of the cases handled under the Asibambaneni SibeNgumndeni programme involved women who had neglected their children while seeking employment opportunities.

This is contained in findings from a report compiled by the office, following visits to affected families.

When speaking during an Eswatini TV Programme, Kusile Breakfast Show, Senior Gender Analyst Thandwa Dlamini said the findings showed that many families were experiencing severe economic hardship, forcing caregivers to seek employment away from home.

She said women, who traditionally carry the burden of caregiving, often face difficult choices after childbirth, including leaving children behind in search of work.

She said 80% of the cases involved women neglecting their children, noting that the analysis revealed widespread struggles among women in communities to adequately care for their children.

Dlamini added that, in many cases, this neglect was a survival strategy, as women who lacked the means to support their children often took them to their grandparents, who then became the primary caregivers.

“There is also a gender-based violence component, because in most cases women who are abused run away from perpetrators, leaving the child behind becomes a form of protection for themselves and the child from future abuse,” she said.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatiniobserver.com/80-women-neglect-children-for-jobs/

 

eSwatini’s health workers call medical delivery drone network ‘revolutionary’

By Zimkhitha Mbulawa, Gavi, Vaccines Work, 21 January 2026

SOURCE

Health worker receives drone-delivered medications in Eswatini. Credit: Nkwe

Eswatini has joined the growing roster of African countries relying on medical drones for delivery of vaccines and other health commodities to their remotest communities.

But the Nkwe Drone Network comes with an important difference. Rather than dropping their payload by parachute, Nkwe drones land – meaning they can pick up sensitive cargo, such as blood samples, at the last mile.

Representatives of the organisation behind the Nkwe Drone Network say drone flights are typically six times faster than grounded medical transport, at a competitive cost.

Eswatini’s remotest districts are not only under-served in terms of hospital infrastructure: the delivery of vaccines, meds, antivirals and emergency bloodwork samples is constrained too. During the annual flood-prone seasons, things get dire.

That’s where Nkwe Drone Network – the kingdom’s first authorised medical drone network, which did over 600 flights in just its first year – jumps in.

The name “Nkwe” means “sprint” in siSwati, and was conferred upon the unmanned fleet by the kingdom’s health minister, Mduduzi Matsebula, at the official launch ceremony in June 2024.

“[Using] drone deliveries instead of roads has really helped a lot of us as a clinic in the vaccination of kids, adults, treatments, HIV tests, urgent bloodwork,” said Lomalungelo Mavuso, a community health worker who has served at Ngculwini Nazarene Clinic since 2017. Ngculwini is a rural healthcare centre in the northwest of Eswatini.

The people behind the drone initiative are The Luke Commission (TLC), a US-founded non-profit healthcare organisation operating in Eswatini for the last 20 years, and providing everything from cataract surgeries to HIV care.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/eswatini-health-workers-call-medical-delivery-drone-network-revolutionary

 

Scramble to seize control of the media is a new ‘political corona virus’ affecting Swazi journalism but, it’s curable

Opinion by Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 18 January, 2026

SOURCE 

It is public knowledge that my journey as a journalist has been going through a rough road of course, with potholes that smooth surfaces but, I’ve learned that “being hated by a dictatorship Government automatically gives one credibility in the eyes of the international community”.

The credibility arose from fact that, most international organizations are fully aware that, any undemocratic Government that strives on secrecy perceives the independent media as an enemy because, sometimes it reports critical news that does not favour the State.

It is for these reasons, the more the independent media is rebuked by the Eswatini Government, the more it gains international recognition and support because, most international organizations wants diversity of news and, those news cannot be disseminated in a more diverse way, if all publications are controlled by the State.

The media is facing challenges not only in Eswatini but within the African continent, it’s just that in Eswatini you find even very stupid people like King’s Interpreter Sihle Dlamini telling the media what to write, these fools think just because they work with King Mswati, then they have all the powers to tell journalists how to do their job.

The media is actually facing a political ‘corona virus’ but it’s curable.

It’s not only Sihle Dlamini, even “Sibutseki from eMalawini nasifake emajobo nje nemhelwane locotfukile” can just invade the newsroom claiming to be there to deliver an order from the King and block a story.

But maybe there’s nothing wrong with these royal lunatics invading Eswatini newsrooms to block stories because some media companies are owned by royalty or the Government, but the problem starts when they demonstrate a political appetite to control even the Swaziland News that is registered and operating in South Africa.

It should be noted that, there was a strategic reason why this publication was registered in the neighboring South Africa, one of the reasons was to force anyone seeking to challenge it in court, to approach the South African independent courts not the Swazi courts and if that person has a genuine case, that matter will be handled by independent Judges.

Eswatini Government lost a case against this publication at the Mpumalanga Court, there’s no way in South Africa where lunatics can just wake-up in the morning and decide to silence the media, maybe in the Spaza Swazi courts.

The Swaziland News will report anything critical about the Eswatini Government and the royal family, lunatics like King’s Interpreter Sihle Dlamini will do absolutely nothing to silence this publication except to read and enjoy critical articles.

Why those who claim to be ignoring this publication are the first ones to know what the Swaziland News has published and, other platforms learn through Sihle Dlamini’s platform that some public figures are responding to this publication.

This means Sihle Dlamini is a loyal reader of this publication, almost every five (5) minutes he is reading this publication.

Now that Facebook has approved Swaziland News to earn money through articles, Sihle Dlamini will contribute to the online revenue generation for this publication. Siyabonga kuMtukulu weMtukulu, we-Mntfwanenkhosi Njebovu.  

 

Why attend? Tariff hike will happen anyway - residents

By Khulile Thwala, Times of eSwatini, 21 January 2026

SOURCE 

NHLANGANO: Poor attendance marked the electricity tariff consultation held at Bethesda Church in Nhlangano, with residents attributing the low turnout to public fatigue.

Despair and a growing belief that tariff hikes are implemented regardless of public submissions were also attributed to the low numbers.

The tariff hike proposal public hearings are being hosted by the Eswatini Electricity Regulatory Authority (ESERA) in conjunction with the Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC).

Nhlangano-stationed Pensioners Association representative Ntombi Dlamini pointed out that it was unfortunate that many people failed to attend a consultation dealing with an issue that directly affected their daily survival.

“When I tried to raise this issue and encouraged people to attend the consultations, many of my colleagues and acquaintances accused me of financially abusing them,” said Ntombi.

She explained that even when she contacted pensioners ahead of the consultation to remind them to attend, the response was largely negative.

“They told me that these consultations are harassment, and by pressuring them to attend I was abusing them because they cannot afford the proposed electricity hike,” she said.

According to Ntombi, this sentiment explained the poor attendance at the meeting.

“I attend these consultations regularly, but today there is an evident poor turnout because people are now shunning these sessions,” she said.

She stressed that pensioners were adamant that they would not cope should the proposed tariff hike be implemented.

Ntombi lamented the meagre monthly income some pensioners received, stating that it was already insufficient to meet basic needs, even before factoring in increased electricity costs.

“If the little we earn is already pinched just to make ends meet, where will we get money for more expensive electricity units?” she asked.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=Why+attend%3F+Tariff+hike+will+happen+anyway+-+residents&yiphi=2609&bvhdgsj=News

 

eSwatini records world’s highest cervical cancer death rate

By Sibusiso Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 18 January 2026

SOURCE

The country’s health system is facing another grave test.

As the kingdom grapples with an acute drug shortage crisis while being named among those with the highest suicide rates globally, new data now places the country at the very top of a far more lethal league table: cervical cancer deaths.

According to statistics drawn from World Population Review figures for 2026, the country records the highest cervical cancer burden in the world, with an incidence rate of 57.8 per 100 000 women.

The country’s crude incidence rate far exceeds that of neighbouring states already considered high-risk.

Lesotho follows at 49.9, Malawi at 42.8, Zimbabwe at 39.2, and Comoros at 38.8. South Africa, by comparison, records 35.6.

Even more alarming is the cumulative risk, as a girl born in the country today faces an 8.6% chance of developing cervical cancer by the age of 74 if current trends persist. This is among the highest lifetime risks recorded globally.

All in all, Southern Africa dominates the list of countries with the highest cervical cancer rates, reflecting shared challenges. Malawi (42.8), Zimbabwe (39.2) and Mozambique (33.1) all feature prominently, as do Zambia and Tanzania further north.

In public health terms, these figures, according to medical doctor and Ekuphileni Clinic Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Advocate Dlamini, place the country in a category of extreme vulnerability.

Dr Dlamini’s explanation for the country’s alarmingly high cervical cancer death rate is that too many girls are being exposed to sex far too early, when their bodies are not ready to fight the virus that causes the disease.

“Cervical cancer is caused by a sexually transmitted virus known as the human papillomavirus (HPV). Not all HPV types are dangerous, but types 16 and 18 are responsible for most cervical cancer cases worldwide. Once the virus enters the body, it can quietly damage cervical cells over time, eventually turning them cancerous,” he explained.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatiniobserver.com/eswatini-records-worlds-highest-cervical-cancer-death-rate/

 

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 902 – 7 November 2025

 

Swaziland Newsletter No. 902 – 7 November 2025

News from and about Swaziland, compiled by Global Aktion, Denmark (www.globalaktion.dk) in collaboration with Swazi Media Commentary (www.swazimedia.blogspot.com), and sent to all with an interest in Swaziland - free of charge. The newsletter and past editions are also available online on the Swazi Media Commentary blogsite.

 

eSwatini frees pro-democracy leader after four years

By Agence France Presse (AFP), 4 November 2025

SOURCE 

A prominent former opposition Eswatini lawmaker was freed Tuesday after being pardoned following more than four years in prison over 2021 pro-democracy protests that rattled Africa's last absolute monarchy.

The landlocked kingdom is ruled by King Mswati III, who has held the throne since 1986 and wields unchecked power, facing no meaningful challenge to his authority.

Mthandeni Dube was released from the high-security Matsapha Correctional Centre, 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the capital, where 14 men deported from the United States as part of its crackdown on immigrants were also being held.

Dube was arrested in July 2021 alongside fellow MP Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza for inciting unrest during protests calling for democratic reforms, which were violently suppressed by security forces and left dozens dead.

“I am happy that the King has released me,” Dube said at the low-key ceremony where 11 other prisoners -- nine men and two women -- were also freed.

The group, all dressed in orange prison uniforms, stood quietly as their release was announced.

Officials said the freed inmates would remain under the supervision of the correctional services and would not be allowed to make public speeches or join protests.

“Only today can they entertain the media, and from tomorrow, none of them is expected to meet journalists,” said Commissioner General Lomakhosini Dlamini.

Mabuza, who was sentenced to 25 years, did not apply for a pardon, correctional services spokesman Baphelele Kunene told AFP.

Human Rights Watch last week decried a lack of accountability for the killings during the 2021 protest.

“The security forces also shot indiscriminately at protesters and passers-by with live ammunition, killing scores of protesters and injuring hundreds more, including children,” it said in a 26-page report.

Yet, “it is appalling that more than four years later, the victims and survivors are living with the consequences of the brutality they suffered without any remedies for their rights violations,” said HRW Africa researcher Nomathamsanqa Masiko-Mpaka.

Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, is the last absolute monarchy in Africa and political parties are banned.

King Mswati enjoys flaunting his wealth, yet he rules over one of the poorest countries in the world, where more than half of its 1.2 million inhabitants live in poverty.

The 57-year-old can veto any legislation, appoints the prime minister and cabinet, and is constitutionally above the law.

Mthandeni Dube

See also

Mthandeni freed with 11 strict conditions (times of eSwatini)

https://times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=Mthandeni+freed+with+11+strict+conditions&yiphi=1687&bvhdgsj=News

 

In eSwatini, abusive lawsuit demands a record $9.8m for defamation

Committee to Protect Journalists, 4 November 4, 2025

SOURCE 

LUSAKA: The Swazi Bridge news site in Eswatini is facing a record-breaking claim for 170 million emalangeni (US$9.8 million) in damages and the threat of terrorism investigations, as part of a growing global trend of using abusive lawsuits to suppress public interest reporting.

The Farmers Bank and its director John Asfar alleged defamation by the privately owned media outlet in March over its 2023 to 2025 reporting of alleged irregularities in the bank’s acquisition of its license to operate in Eswatini, according to court documents, reviewed by CPJ.

“Farmers Bank’s intimidatory conduct raises concern that this lawsuit is designed to silence journalism that critically probes its operations and to instill fear among others in the media,” said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Muthoki Mumo. “Authorities in Eswatini must ensure that the courts are not misused as tools to censor public interest reporting.”

On October 15, the bank and Asfar filed an application demanding that The Swazi Bridge take down five stories and desist from publishing about them, according to a court document, reviewed by CPJ. The outlet intends to oppose the application, the publication’s lawyer, Sibusiso Nhlabatsi, told CPJ.

He said the damages sought in the case were unprecedented in the southern African nation, an absolute monarchy with a GDP per capita of less than $4,000.

Similar allegations about the bank’s lengthy battle with the regulatory Central Bank to secure a license were published in 2024 as part of the “Swazi Secrets“ series of articles, based on a leak from Eswatini’s anti-money laundering agency and coordinated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.

To read more of this report, click here

https://cpj.org/2025/11/in-eswatini-abusive-lawsuit-demands-a-record-9-8-mln-for-defamation/

 

CANGO launches E600,000 drive to boost media freedom

By Sebenzile Bhembe, Independent News, eSwatini, 4 November 2025

SOURCE 

MBABANE: The Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organisations (CANGO) has rolled out a year-long initiative worth about E600,000 to advance freedom of expression and ethical journalism in Eswatini.

The project, titled ”Liberty, Ethics and Truth: Advancing Freedom of Expression in Eswatini”, was unveiled during a two-day workshop held at the Mbabane Club, hosted in partnership with the Media Consortium. Representatives from various media houses including Independent News, Times of Eswatini, Rubicon Media Group, and Inhlase Centre for Investigative Journalism joined journalism students from Limkokwing University of Creative Technology to discuss strategies for improving media practice and participation.

Supported by the Commonwealth Foundation, the £30,000 (about E600,000) initiative seeks to strengthen media freedom and civic engagement by building the capacity of the media consortium, which consists of ten media and arts organisations. These groups use community radio and creative arts as tools to foster public dialogue and participation.

CANGO Communications and Advocacy Officer Ndimphiwe Shabangu said the project will promote ethical community reporting, amplify grassroots stories, and expand opportunities for women, LGBTQI+ individuals, and persons with disabilities to be active in media spaces. It will also include training on legislative engagement, mentorship for media professionals, and operational support for at least two community radio stations.

According to Shabangu, the initiative began in September 2025 and comes at a time when Eswatini is grappling with restricted civic space and outdated media laws. Through this partnership, CANGO and its media collaborators aim to strengthen ethics, inclusivity, and access to information as vital components of democratic expression.

 

Emaswati criticise govt’s performance on health – Survey

By Bodwa Mbingo, eSwatini Observer, 2 November 2025

SOURCE 

The Afrobarometer Round 10 survey findings have revealed widespread frustration with the public healthcare sector with most Emaswati criticising government on its poor performance in this sector.

The survey revealed that among citizens, who had contact with a public clinic or hospital in the past year, almost nine in 10 said they experienced a lack of medicines or medical supplies during their visit, with eight in 10 reporting long waiting times, and six in 10 saying the cost of care or medicines was unaffordable.

It adds that overwhelming majorities of respondents lack medical coverage and worry about obtaining or affording necessary medical care while three-fourths reported going without medical care at least once during the past year.

“More than seven in 10 Emaswati rate government’s performance on providing basic health services poorly.

Two-thirds point to inadequate public funding as the reason for the current shortages of drugs and medical supplies, and half favour privatising the state-owned Central Medical Stores (CMS) to ensure a reliable supply,” reads the findings in part.

It adds that Emaswati expressed strong support for universal health coverage with two-thirds saying government should ensure that all citizens have access to adequate health care, even if it meant raising taxes.

The survey also states that government has emphasised the importance of having a “healthy and productive population that lives longer, fulfilling, and responsible lives”. It says through its National Health Sector Strategic Plan 2024/2025-2027/2028, the ministry of health is working to accelerate progress towards universal health coverage (UHC) by 2030, with a focus on expanding service coverage and building an inclusive and effective health-care system.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatiniobserver.com/emaswati-criticise-govts-performance-on-health-survey/

 

E3.5bn co-operative sector eyes new bank

By Nhlanganiso Mkhonta, Times of eSwatini, 6 November 2025

SOURCE

 

MBABANE: Eswatini’s Cooperative sector, which now collectively manages assets valued at over E3.5 billion, is taking a major step towards deepening financial inclusion.

The sector also seeks to strengthen grassroots economic empowerment by pursuing the establishment of a sector-owned co-operative bank.

This development was the focus of the Roundtable on the Establishment of the Eswatini Co-operative Bank, held yesterday at Mountain View Hotel, where co-operative movement leaders, government stakeholders, regulators and international partners engaged on the proposed banking model, governance framework and institutional structure.

Delivering remarks during the session, Minister for Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo said the proposed bank was a natural progression of the co-operative movement’s long and impactful history in the kingdom.

“Cooperators, our co-operative story began on April 27, 1931, when the first society was registered,” he noted. “Since then, co-operatives have been more than just a socio-economic model, they have been a reflection of who we are – a people who believe in solidarity, self-help and community progress.”

Khumalo emphasised that co-operatives have long served communities that mainstream financial institutions could not reach, especially rural and underserved areas, by mobilising small savings, circulating credit and building trust within member communities.

 “With growth comes new challenges and new opportunities,” the minister stated, pointing to the sector’s E3.5 billion in assets.

“To continue thriving, we must strengthen how we manage liquidity, build professional skills and embrace digital tools. That is why the time is right to establish the Eswatini Co-operative Bank – one that is owned and led by the sector itself.”

He clarified that the proposed co-operative bank would not replace existing co-operative Financial Institutions (CFIs), SACCOs or savings groups.

“Let me be clear: this bank is not here to replace or compete with our co-operative Financial Institutions,” Khumalo said. “It will act as a central hub, providing liquidity when needed, offering wholesale banking services, modern digital systems and tailored training.”

This centralisation is expected to strengthen financial resilience across the co-operative network, improve governance capacity and allow co-operatives to participate in larger development finance markets.

 

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